CANADA LYNX. 139 



near the roots perhaps, and looking as if they might fall to the earth with 

 the slightest breath of air. Into one of these " burnt districts," let us go 

 together. Nature has already begun to replace the stately trees, which 

 the destroying element had consumed, or stripped of all beauty and vi- 

 tality, and we find the new growth already advanced ; instead of the light, 

 brittle, and inflammable pine, the solid and hard, maple, oak, or beech, 

 are thickly and rapidly raising their leafy branches to hide from our view 

 the unsightly trunks that, half-destroyed, charred, and prostrate on the 

 ground, are strevi^n around in almost every direction. We must pursue 

 our way slowly and laboriously, sometimes jumping over, and sometimes 

 creeping under, or walking along a fallen tree, our progress impeded by 

 the new growth, by brambles, holes in the ground, and the necessitj^ of 

 cautiously observing the general direction of our crooked and fatiguing 

 march ; here and there we come to a small open space, where the wild 

 raspberry tempts us to pause and allay our thirst, and perhaps whilst 

 picking its ripe fruit, a pack of grouse rise with a whirr- whirr, and attract 

 our attention — they are gone ere ^ve can reach our gun : but we are not 

 alone ; — see, under cover of yon thicket, crouched behind that fallen pine 

 tree, is the Canada Lynx — stealthily and slowlj' moving along — it is he 

 that startled the game that has just escaped. Now he ascends to the lower 

 branch of a thick leaved tree, and closely squatted, awaits the approach of 

 some other prey, to dart upon and secure it, ere the unsuspecting object of 

 his appetite can even see whence the devourer comes. We move carefully 

 toward the concealed prowler — but his eyes and ears are full as good as 

 our own — with a bound he is upon the earth, and in an instant is out 

 of sight amid the logs and brush-wood — for savage and voracious as he 

 may be when pursuing the smaller animals, he is equally cowardly when 

 opposed to his great enemy — man ; and as his skin is valuable, let us ex- 

 cuse him for desiring to keep it \vhole. 



The Canada Lynx is more retired in its habits than our common wild 

 cat, keeping chiefly far from the habitations of even the settlers who first 

 penetrate into the depths of the wilderness. Its fine long fur enables it to 

 withstand the cold of our northern latitudes, and it is found both in the 

 wooded countries north of the great lakes, and as far south as the Mid- 

 dle States, dispersed over a great many degrees of longitude : even occa- 

 sionally approaching the sea-coast. The specimen from which we drew 

 the figure of this animal, was sent to us from Halifax, Nova Scotia. It 

 had been taken in a wolf-trap, after having, (as was supposed.) de- 

 stroyed several sheep. We kept it alive for a few weeks, feeding it 

 on fresh raw meat ; it ate but a small quantity at a time, and like 

 all predacious animals, appeared able to support a long fast with. 



